


A Little Human

by LouPF



Category: Portal (Video Game)
Genre: (implied anyway) - Freeform, ?? i guess ??, Android GLaDOS, Androids, Chronic Illness, Deaf, Deaf Character, Domestic Fluff, Essential Tremors, Established Relationship, F/F, Fluff, GLaDOS has two bodies, I think anyway, Inspired By Tumblr, Light Angst, Post-Portal 2, Sign Language, Somewhat, and they're in love, barely-there-angst, i really like keeping canon!glados' design too, in which Chell stays with GLaDOS, is there angst? maybe if you squint, like half the time, no harm was done to any mugs during the writing of this story, super super light angst, what kind? not specified
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-28
Updated: 2020-04-28
Packaged: 2021-03-01 19:02:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 996
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23892037
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LouPF/pseuds/LouPF
Summary: As Chell has been developing a tremor in her hands, GLaDOS goes to check her medical records to see if any medicine could potentially work. She, who long has thought Chell to be mute, is shocked to realize she's been wrong:Chell is deaf.
Relationships: Chell/GLaDOS
Comments: 10
Kudos: 269





	A Little Human

A normal day. That's what it was. The only thing slightly  _ un _ normal was GLaDOS catching herself humming, every now and then. It was only logical, she reasoned, as she continued the familiar routine of changing bodies. As an AI, she was designed to learn from her surroundings. 

Still. Going around humming Chell's favourite song - and when Chell wasn't even around! -  _ could  _ be a little much.

" _ Core shift successful _ ," came the Announcer's voice.

GLaDOS's vision clicked in just on time, though she ignored it, for the time being choosing to shuffle through the records of various test subjects. Chell's was easy to find; GLaDOS had lost count of how many times she'd checked it.

That was an over-exaggeration, of course. GLaDOS never lost count of anything. It was just that the number was so embarrassingly high that it was easier to just not dwell on it.

Today she was checking Chell's medical records, something she'd only done once or twice before. Recently, Chell had developed a tremor in her hands - GLaDOS theorized, with a heavy (metaphorical) heart, that it was a late stress response to the testing and various other traumatic events the poor girl had been through. Chell, ever the stubborn fighter, had not voiced any complaints, but GLaDOS saw - and GLaDOS  _ noticed.  _

Now she was on her way to find out what medicine Chell could take to help. Potentially if there were any other ways to help her if medication would be hard or impossible.

So, that's why GLaDOS found herself reading through Chell's medical records properly for the first time.

And that's how GLaDOS found herself staring blankly at four simple words, black on white on blue. For once, it was completely silent in her mind: just static, white noise.

The pieces clicked together.

It all made  _ sense  _ now.

GLaDOS continued going through the file, though it was on autopilot, now - mechanically and monotonically.

She finished quickly, then began the process of transferring back to her more android body, still reeling from the knowledge she'd been sitting on this whole time.

*

_ Test Subject is deaf. _

_ * _

GLaDOS' android form was barely humanoid at all - she had no human face, though she could still be as expressive as any human if only one knew how to look. It was complete with a human-like  _ shape _ , but still, it was decidedly non-human, with claw-like hands and too-long arms.

It was a silent rebellion against all she was and all she'd once been: yes, it was easier to walk around like this, and yes, she had more mobility, but she was  _ not  _ human. Not at  _ all.  _

Chell had not seemed to mind, holding her hands and curling up into her side and pressing soft kisses to the casing around her optical lense. If anything, she'd actually seemed quite ecstatic about it, often clinging to her side and curling around her in sleep.

Always quiet.

Was it really that weird that GLaDOS had thought her mute?

She found Chell in the kitchen - their kitchen, GLaDOS liked to think - with her hair in a messy bun, a baggy t-shirt  _ almost  _ covering some shorts. She'd just woken up, it seemed, and GLaDOS couldn't help but feel a bit soft at the sight - Chell, under no stress, picking up a cup of coffee from the counter. Maybe not happy. But  _ healing. _

GLaDOS cleared her throat (Chell was able to feel the vibrations of her robotic speaking - she'd realized while going over all the memories of Chell reacting to her voice before), and Chell glanced over, smiling softly.

And GLaDOS signed.

(because of course she knew sign language, she was  _ GLaDOS _ , but she'd never thought to use it -)

"I didn't know you were deaf."

Chell dropped the mug.

Nervous, GLaDOS continued: "Kind of ridiculous, really, how I didn't notice before, but I've never had much of reason to look at your medical files, and - "

In three quick steps, Chell had crossed the room, grabbed GLaDOS' hands, and squeezed. Her next smile was wide and beaming, and she kissed the side of GLaDOS' casing. Then the other, and the first again. When she stepped back and let go of GLaDOS' hands, she signed rapidly: "I've always wanted to hear you speak - I never thought I'd  _ get  _ to."

GLaDOS stared at her for a long moment. Then she signed, "I thought you were mute."

Chell laughed.

_ Laughed.  _

GLaDOS had never heard Chell laugh. She'd barely gotten used to seeing her  _ smile  _ before this.

It caused such an intense and hot burst of emotion that GLaDOS, before she had the time to even remotely think about it, signed, "I love you."

A moment's pause.

Chell kissed her again, twice, thrice - five times in total, all across GLaDOS' casing, energic and eager. She beamed, then rested her forehead against the side of GLaDOS' casing, hands wrapped around her 'shoulders'.

Tense, GLaDOS did not return the embrace, instead staring straight ahead. She felt strangely hollow. "Say it back," she whispered, knowing Chell would not be able to hear it - but  _ feel  _ it.

Chell giggled, just the slightest bit, and GLaDOS no longer felt hollow. She pulled back just enough to sign, "I love you, too," smiling so widely that GLaDOS could've counted her teeth if she wanted to.

She didn't have to count. The number had been in her report. 

GLaDOS had had her  _ suspicions  _ of Chell's feelings - they lived together and had shared a bed often. Glados was still reasonably sure that humans only were physically affectionate with people they liked, but... she'd never known for sure. She reached out and embraced Chell - for the first time truly, honestly feeling like it was okay. "Even after all this?" she signed, managing to do it across Chell's back in a pattern she hopefully would recognize.

Chell nodded against her shoulder.

Even after all this.

For Chell, GLaDOS could live with being a little human.

Even if it meant humming her favourite songs when she couldn't even hear them.


End file.
